Dozens of people gathered at Home State Brewing Co. on a sunny afternoon to bond over the same interests: pens, paper and ink.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The group, called the Orlando Pen Club, meets once per month with the goal of bringing enthusiasts together while having delicious food, refreshing beverages and lots of laughter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Orlando Pen Club was established in 2023 when couple Steven Zazzaro and TeAnte Turner attended the Orlando Pen Show together.<\/p>\n
They quickly realized how many people have the same niche interest as them and wanted to bring the enthusiasts together. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Turner always has been a pen enthusiast and introduced Zazzaro to the world of fountain pens.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia at a young age, Zazzaro found journaling gave him structure and allowed him to focus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fountain pens made writing even more special to him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it\u2019s not written down, it didn\u2019t happen,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since meeting Turner, Zazzaro started learning about new pens and all different aspects associated with them, including handwriting, writing styles, different nib styles and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Today, his fountain pen collection is larger than Turner\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Turner and Zazzaro were able to bring their vision to life with the help of friends and co-founders Joe Cortner, Ruben Vasquez and Toni Palumbo.<\/p>\n
The club\u2019s first meeting took place at Hash House A Go Go in 2023, with 10 people in attendance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They chatted, tried new pens, tested new inks and learned about different types of paper while having the time of their lives being unapologetically themselves.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was then that the couple realized this club would be valuable to pen, ink and paper enthusiasts.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Today, the club\u2019s Slack Channel has more than 100 people in it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some are doctors, some are business owners, others are civil servants, HR professionals, field employees and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some drive from Vero Beach, Daytona Beach, Sebastian and Eustis to be a part of the monthly get-togethers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To them, it doesn\u2019t matter your ethnicity, background, career, religious beliefs, sexual preferences or how expensive your pens are \u2014 what matters is fostering a welcoming environment where anyone can attend and feel right at home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beyond sharing the same interest, courses also are offered through the club.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Turner instructs an ink class, teaching attendees about all the different inks available, and Zazzaro teaches Fountain Pen 101 and Fountain Pen 201, teaching attendees about the basics of a fountain pen and the terminology that comes with it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The couple finds the need to keep the analog world alive in a world of technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWith technology, I think people are yearning for the analog on the backside of it,\u201d Zazzaro said. \u201cI don\u2019t care how good our technology gets, there\u2019s always going to be a place for analog in the world.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
These meetings and courses are significant to club members because they can sit down together and forget about technology for a few hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s something therapeutic about it,\u201d club member Michael Anglero said. \u201cEverything moves so fast all the time, it\u2019s good to take some (time) to slow down and pick up your pen and ink and find your flow. Chill out, take a little bit of time for yourself, it\u2019s important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another aspect of the club members enjoy is being able to learn something new every meeting and expand their interests.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yesy Velez is a new member of the club but has had a love for stationery since she was a child. Since joining, she\u2019s learned a ton of new information and has grown her leather company by selling leather-wrapped journals to other club members.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned a lot about inks,\u201d Velez said enthusiastically. \u201cAbout how they have different properties, shimmer, shading and all of that. It\u2019s amazing. \u2026 I\u2019m so grateful for (the members), they\u2019re just very like-minded people.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the club continues to meet, it continues to grow.<\/p>\n
People bring ink samples, trade pens and teach each other about stationery items and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The club also holds giveaways so members can leave every meeting with more than just new knowledge.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s more than just pens, ink and paper. It\u2019s about fostering friendships through a shared interest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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